Lesson: Using Layers ■ 263 Option Description Linetype: A blank drawing will contain the Continuous linetype. Select the Load button to load other linetypes. Lineweight: Various lineweights will not be displayed in the drawing window unless the Show Lineweight option is selected in the status bar. Note that the default lineweight is 0.01 inches or 0.25 mm. New Layer Properties When you create a new layer, the properties of the currently selected layer are duplicated for the new layer. If your new layer is going to have properties such as color or linetype in common with another layer, select the similar layer before you click New. Layer Status The visibility and availability of objects on specific layers are determined by the layer's status. The following table describes the potential status of a layer. These icons appear in the Layer Properties Manager and the Layer list. Click the icon to change the status of the layer. Icon Status OR On: Objects on the layer are visible. Off: Objects on the layer are not visible but are still considered when the drawing is regenerated. 264 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Icon Status OR Thawed: Objects on the layer are visible. Frozen: Objects on the layer are not visible and are not considered when the drawing is regenerated. OR New VP Freeze: Freezes layer in newly created viewports. VP Freeze (Layout only): The layer is not visible and will not print in the selected or current viewport if frozen. OR Unlocked: You can select and edit objects on the layer. Locked: You cannot select or edit objects on the layer. Layer Control List The Layer Control list is located on the Layers panel. Select the down arrow to reveal the list of Layers in the drawing. The Layer Control serves a dual purpose. Lesson: Using Layers ■ 265 1. In normal operations, the current layer is displayed. However, when an object is selected with the Command line blank, the list displays the layer that the object is on. The following image shows that when the door block is selected, the A-Doors layer is displayed. It is helpful to know what layer the object is on. But you may also place the selected object or objects on another layer by choosing the layer from the drop down list. 2. After you create layers, you can use the Layer Control to select a layer to make it current, to change the layer status to Freeze or Thaw, Lock or Unlock, or turn layer On or Off. 266 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Layer Tools Key Points ■ Creating and managing layers requires the use of some key commands, the Layer Properties Manager, and the Layer Control list on the Layers panel. ■ Your primary tool for managing layers is the Layer Properties Manager. Use this dialog box to create and manage layers. ■ Once a layer is created, you cannot delete it if it is current or if there are objects referenced on that layer. ■ Layer 0 cannot be deleted or renamed. ■ Layer properties include color, linetype, lineweight, and whether the layer will plot or not. ■ A layer status can be On or Off, Frozen or Thawed, and Locked or Unlocked. ■ Layers that are turned off are not visible but are still considered when the drawing is regenerated. ■ Layers that are frozen are not visible and are not considered when the drawing is regenerated. ■ With the Command line blank, you can select an object and see what layer it is on from the Layers Control list located on the Layers panel. ■ You can select an object and move it to another layer using the Layers Control list. ■ You can change a layers status from the Layers Control list. ■ The Layer Previous command returns you to the previous layer state, to the previous layer setting, and to the previous status of all layers in the drawing. Performance Tip For better performance on large drawings, freeze layers instead of turning them off. Objects on layers that are turned off are still considered when the drawing is regenerated, while objects on layers that are frozen are not considered, and thus not calculated when the drawing is regenerated. Lesson: Using Layers ■ 267 Practice Exercise: Layer Tools In this practice exercise, you create layers in the Properties Manager dialog box and select the layer from the Layer Control list to draw objects on the appropriate layer. 1. To create the layers: ■ On the ribbon, click Home tab > Layers panel > Layer Properties. ■ In the dialog box, click New. ■ Create the following layers: ❏ Layer Name: Circle, Color: Red ❏ Layer Name: Line, Color: Blue ❏ Layer Name: Rectangle, Color: Green Note: If you enter the layer name and then a comma, a new layer name field appears. The layers are automatically listed in alphabetical order. 2. Close the Layer Properties Manager dialog box. 3. In the Layer Control list, select the Circle layer to make it current and draw circles on that layer. 4. Repeat the previous step: ■ Click the Rectangle layer to make it current and draw rectangles. ■ Click the Line layer to make it current and draw lines. 268 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Exercise: Work with Layers In this exercise, you freeze and thaw layers and lock and unlock them. You create new layers, set the current layer, andcreate new geometry on the current layer. The completed exercise Completing the Exercise To complete the exercise, follow the steps in this book or in the onscreen exercise. In the onscreen list of chapters and exercises, click Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands. Click Exercise: Work with Layers. 1. Open M_Create-Layers.dwg. 2. Study the drawing, paying particular attention to the color and linetype of the objects. Turn the Dimensions layer off to make it easier to view and make changes to the geometry in the drawing: ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. ■ Click the Sun icon to freeze the Dimensions layer. The icon changes from a sun to a snowflake indicating that the layer is frozen. 3. To make the hidden layer current: ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. ■ Select Hidden to set it as the current layer. 4. Zoom into the area shown and draw lines on the Hidden layer: ■ Using the Line command, create a line from point 1 to point 2 and another from point 3 to point 4 as shown in the following illustration. ■ Make sure you are snapping to the exact endpoint or intersection on the existing objects. Lesson: Using Layers ■ 269 5. Draw a line on the Center layer across the center of the object as indicated below: ■ Zoom out so that the entire drawing is displayed, then zoom into the area shown below. ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. Select the Center layer. ■ Start the Line command. ■ Acquire the 180 degree quadrant point of the large circle and drag your cursor to the left along the extension path. ■ In the dynamic input field, enter 5. Press ENTER. ■ Drag your cursor outside the large circle to the right along the extension path. ■ In the Dynamic Input field, enter 85. Press ENTER. ■ Press ENTER again to end the Line command. 6. To create another line across the center of the object: ■ Press ENTER to repeat the Line command. ■ Acquire the 270 degree quadrant point of the large circle and drag your cursor downward along the extension path. ■ In the Dynamic Input field, enter 5. Press ENTER. ■ Drag your cursor outside and above the large circle along the extension path. ■ In the Dynamic Input field, enter 85. Press ENTER. ■ Press ENTER again to end the Line command. 270 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands 7. Use the Rotate command to rotate both centerlines 30 degrees. Use the center of the large circle as the base point for the rotation. 8. Thaw the Dimension Layer: ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. Click the snowflake icon to thaw the Dimensions layer. ■ Zoom out to the extents of your drawing. 9. To observe object properties in the Layer Control list: ■ With the command line blank, click any dimension. ■ Notice that the Dimensions layer appears in the Layer Control list. ■ Press ESC so that the command line is blank. ■ Move your cursor over any object on the Visible layer as shown below. Notice the padlock symbol that is displayed. Objects on the visible layer are locked and cannot be modified, however, you may add more geometry to any locked layer. Lesson: Using Layers ■ 271 ■ Select an object on the Visible layer and notice how the layer name displays in the Layer Control list. ■ Select any other object, such as a dimension, and notice that now the Layer Control field is blank. Because the list cannot display multiple properties at once, this indicates the objects that you selected are on different layers. ■ Press ESC to deselect all objects. 10. Try to move some of the objects including ones which are on a locked layer: ■ Start the Move command. ■ Select all of the objects in the auxiliary view. Press ENTER. ■ Click any point on the drawing. Enter 25. Press TAB. ■ In the Angle field, enter 30. Press TAB. ■ Click anywhere in the drawing to complete the Move command. Notice that some of the objects did not move. ■ Undo the Move command. 11. This time you will move the objects again, but first you unlock the layer that some of these objects are on: ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. Click the padlock icon on the Visible layer. Note that the padlock changes from a closed lock to an open lock indicating that the layer is unlocked. ■ Repeat the Move command from the previous step. Notice how all of the objects are moved. ■ Relock the visible layer. 12. To create a new layer: ■ On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Properties. ■ In the Layer Name field, click Visible. The properties of layer Visible are used as the default properties for the new layer. ■ In the Layer Properties Manager dialog box, click New Layer (1). ■ In the Layer Name field (2), enter Title Block. ■ Click the Color field (3) and select White. 13. To add another layer: ■ Click New Layer again. ■ In the Layer Name field, enter Viewport. ■ Click the Color field and select Cyan. Click OK. ■ Click in the Plot field. This sets the Viewport layer to nonplotting. ■ Click the layer Title Block. ■ Right-click. Click Set Current. ■ Click the X to close the Layer Properties Manager dialog box. 14. Zoom out to the extents of your drawing. 272 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands 15. To create a rectangular border: ■ Start the Rectangle command. ■ Enter 0,0. Press ENTER. ■ Right-click. Click Dimensions. ■ Enter 400 for the length. Press ENTER. ■ Enter 277 for the width. Press ENTER. ■ Click anywhere near the Auxiliary view to complete the command. 16. Close all files. Do not save. [...]... Properties panel The panel expands to displays more properties 14 Press ESC to clear the selected dimension 15 Close all files Do not save 9 Press ESC to clear the selected line 10 Select a dimension in the drawing The Quick Properties panel automatically displays two property rows 11 On the status bar, right-click Quick Properties Click Settings 12 In the Drafting Settings dialog box, Quick Properties tab,... Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Click Exercise: Use Quick Properties 1 2 Open c_quick properties.dwg On the status bar, right-click Quick Properties Click Settings Lesson: Quick Properties s 295 7 8 Select a line object in the drawing The Quick Properties panel automatically appears to the bottom right of the cursor 13 Select a dimension in the drawing The Quick Properties panel automatically... screen and in print Lesson: Changing Object Properties s 277 In the following image, the object lines, centerlines, and hidden lines all have their properties set to ByLayer If you change the lineweight of the layer of the object lines, all of the objects on that layer change to reflect the layer setting This change is shown in the following image 278 s Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands... mm lineweight s 4 In the Select Linetype dialog box, click Load s Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands 7 To change the object properties again: s With the command line blank, select all of the object you have drawn s On the Home tab, click Properties panel > Linetype (1) > Hidden s In the Lineweight list (2), click 0.40 s From the Color list (3), select White s Click OK to exit the dialog... drawn s On the Home tab, click Properties panel > ByLayer for (1) Color, (2) Linetype, and (3) Lineweight On the status bar, be sure the Show Lineweight setting is on s s Press ESC to deselect all of the objects Your objects should display the properties that you assigned to each object in step 5 Lesson: Changing Object Properties s 2 87 Exercise: Change Object Properties In this exercise, you use the... onscreen list of chapters and exercises, click Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Click Exercise: Change Object Properties 1 2 288 To move some of the machine labels to another layer: s With the command line blank, select the text for machine numbers 47 through 54 s On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer s Select the machine labels layer to move the numbers to this layer s Press ESC... the door lines On the Home tab, click Properties panel > Lineweight Click ByLayer Press ESC to clear your selection set Lesson: Changing Object Properties s 289 7 To move some machines to another layer: s Select the machines labeled 5 through 10 without selecting the numerical label s On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer s Click the machine layer to move these machines to that layer s Press ESC... view or change The list of properties that is displayed depends on the type of object or variety of objects that you select 274 s Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands Object Properties - Line The 3D Visualization group show in the previous image is not available in AutoCAD LT Warning! Definition of Object Properties Object properties control how an object looks, both on screen and in print... Property The following steps give an overview of how to change an object's layer property using theLayer Control list in the Layers panel 1 Select one or more objects in your drawing that need to be moved to a different layer Lesson: Changing Object Properties s 2 81 2 On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list Select the layer where you want to move the objects 3 Press ESC to clear your... a source object to destination objects Lesson: Matching Object Properties s 2 97 Matching an Object's Properties You use the Match properties command to assign properties of one object to another by selecting a source object and a destination object In the following illustration, the properties from a source hatch object (1) are applied to the destination hatch (2) Command Access Match Properties Command . Enter 277 for the width. Press ENTER. ■ Click anywhere near the Auxiliary view to complete the command. 16 . Close all files. Do not save. Lesson: Changing Object Properties ■ 273 Lesson:. Properties Manager dialog box. 14 . Zoom out to the extents of your drawing. 272 ■ Chapter 4: Drawing Organization and Inquiry Commands 15 . To create a rectangular border: ■. Move command. Notice that some of the objects did not move. ■ Undo the Move command. 11 . This time you will move the objects again, but first you unlock the layer that some of these objects